Kael and Vyra continued up the garden path under the watchful eyes of the pirates. Vyra leaned closer, her voice low enough that only the Force carried it to him.

  “I have a bad feeling about this.”

  “I know,” Kael murmured. “I feel it too.”

  As they reached the porch and climbed the steps, the manor doors swung open. Inside, a Weequay lounged in an opulent chair set conspicuously at the center of the entry hall.

  Kael noted the details immediately — the pirates’ breathing was heavy, uneven. Boots scuffed where they shouldn’t have. They had rushed to arrange this. A performance, hastily assembled.

  “Welcome, friends!” the Weequay called. “Please — don’t make yourselves at home. Stay right there.” He spread his hands theatrically. “Now then. I believe you’re here to negotiate this town’s surrender to me?”

  Vyra’s anger flared — sharp, bright — then receded just as quickly. Kael felt it ripple through the Force.

  Kael chose to smile, even letting out a polite laugh.

  “You’re mistaken,” he said pleasantly. “You’re not in a position to accept surrenders.”

  “I’m quite comfortable right here,” the Weequay replied, spreading his arms. “As are my men. And as are these brave citizens we have as our guests.”

  “Hostages,” Kael corrected.

  “Semantics.” The pirate waved a dismissive hand. “But ah — where are my manners? I am Lord Captain Korga Vex, King of the Esteemed Council of Free Captains.”

  Kael noted, without comment, that one or two of Vex’s men rolled their eyes.

  “I’m afraid I’m unfamiliar with your council, Captain Vex,” Kael said evenly. “I am Kael, and this is Vyra — Jedi of the Order. We are authorized to negotiate your surrender on behalf of the Republic.”

  Vex barked out a laugh.

  “Now it is you who are mistaken, friend Jedi. I haven’t surrendered. What you’re doing right now is negotiating for the lives of my guests.” He leaned forward slightly. “My terms are simple. We walk away with what little loot we’ve taken — which I assure you is hardly worth the trouble — and you two escort us back to our ship. We release the hostages, and everyone leaves alive.”

  Kael’s smile faded.

  “That’s not an option,” he said. “You will surrender. You will lay down your weapons. You will be taken into custody and stand trial for your crimes under Republic law.”

  Vex laughed again — louder this time, almost theatrical.

  “And why would I agree to that? I have the manor. I have the hostages. My men are armed, supplied, and well-positioned. Why would I trade all that for a Republic cell?”

  Kael didn’t raise his voice.

  “Because the alternative is a siege,” he said. “This place will be surrounded until Republic Judicial Forces arrive. They will storm the manor. You and your men will either be taken into custody… or killed.”

  He paused.

  “And whoever survives will face far worse charges.”

  Vex’s bravado wavered.

  His eyes flicked between the two Jedi — then down, briefly, to their lightsabers. He swallowed.

  “If we were to surrender,” he said carefully, “what kind of deal could you cut us?”

  The room erupted immediately. Several pirates shouted at once, voices overlapping in angry protest. Vex shot to his feet, fury cutting through the noise.

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  “Enough!” he bellowed. “I am the captain here — not you!”

  The shouting died down, though the tension lingered. Vex jabbed a finger at his men.

  “If any of you want to start a war with the Republic, feel free. Just wait until after I’m no longer captain.”

  He sat back down, smoothing his expression with visible effort.

  “My apologies for my crew’s outburst,” he said stiffly. “They’re… passionate about their careers. Please — go on.”

  Kael inclined his head slightly.

  “If you surrender now, without resistance, I can promise the courts will limit their charges to crimes committed here and to any active Republic warrants already on record.”

  Vex snorted. “That’s not much of a deal. My crimes are known across half the Outer Rim.”

  Kael shrugged, almost casually.

  “I’ve already outlined the alternative,” he said. “If you’re taken by force, the Republic will comb through your hyperdrive logs, your contacts, your accounts. Every open case they can connect to you will be added to the docket.”

  He met Vex’s eyes.

  “If you surrender now, the courts might show leniency.”

  Vex rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

  One of the pirates behind him growled.

  “There’s no honor in surrender. We have the advantage, and they know it. Why else would these Jedi dogs try to talk their way out of it?”

  Vex rounded on him. “I told you to be quiet!”

  He spread his hands theatrically.

  “Tell you what — this is a democracy. We’ll put it to a vote. All in favor of living to raid another day, cast your ballots.”

  “Here’s my ballot!”

  The pirate hurled a thermal detonator.

  Vyra caught it in the Force without breaking stride and flung it back the way it came. It vanished into a flowering vorlinn bush just beyond the porch, petals pale and heavy in the dusk.

  The explosion ripped through stone and petals alike. Chaos followed instantly.

  Blaster fire erupted from windows and stairwells. Some pirates fired wildly. Others broke and ran. Kael ignited his lightsaber and stepped forward, blade a precise blue arc that caught the first wave of bolts and sent them flashing harmlessly into the walls.

  A heartbeat later, Vyra’s blade joined his. Where Kael held the line, Vyra drove it forward, her strikes wider, faster, turning defense into momentum.

  Republic fire answered from the courtyard. Blaster bolts streaked past Kael’s shoulders as militia troopers surged forward under covering fire.

  “To me!” Vyra called. “We secure the hostages!”

  Kael thrust out a hand. The manor doors tore inward under the Force, and the two Jedi charged through the smoke.

  The militia followed close behind, gunning down any pirates still standing in the entry hall as Kael and Vyra pressed deeper, cutting down those closest to the civilians. Room by room, they advanced.

  Despite Vex’s threats, the manor hadn’t been fortified. The pirates had planned for intimidation, not a fight. They broke quickly under pressure.

  The Jedi burst into the master bedroom.

  Vex stood at the far wall, one arm hooked around a trembling civilian, his blaster jammed under her chin.

  “Don’t come any closer!” he shouted. “I can’t shoot you — but I can kill her faster than either of you can stop me!”

  Vyra ripped the blaster from his hand with a casual pull of the Force.

  “Okay! Okay!” Vex cried. “Now that those violent brutes are dealt with, surely we can finish our negotiations—”

  Kael flicked his wrist. Vex slammed onto his back and lay crumpled on the floor.

  The hostage bolted past them.

  Kael stopped.

  Vyra didn’t.

  She advanced, saber still ignited. Vex scrambled back against the wall, hands raised, begging. Vyra lifted her blade to end his reign once and for all.

  “Vyra! That’s enough,” Kael snapped, rushing forward and gripping her wrist hard. “He’s beaten.”

  For a moment, she stared at him — anger still burning behind her eyes.

  Then she exhaled sharply and extinguished her saber. Kael did the same.

  He turned to Commander Halvek.

  “You may take this man into custody—”

  Vex moved.

  The pirate lunged to his feet, a knife flashing from his boot as he charged Kael.

  The moment lasted less than a breath.

  Yellow light flashed through the room.

  Vyra severed Vex’s arm at the elbow.

  He collapsed with a scream and a thud.

  Militia advanced on him, blasters raised, as Vex lay on the floor — bathed in the harsh yellow glow of her blade.